INTERNATIONAL LASER CLASS ASSOCIATION
NORTH AMERICAN REGION
GUIDELINES FOR
LASER MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP
REGATTAS
Revised April 13, 2016
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Introduction
These are the guidelines that the International Laser Class Association-North America (ILCANA) asks regatta hosts to use for class sanctioned Laser Masters regattas in North America.
Class sanctioned regattas fall into one of the following categories:

Fleet, Club, and District level events: Any Laser regatta can be considered a class
sanctioned event in this category; simply contact the ILCA-NA office to gain approval.
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Regional Championships: This category consists of the Pacific Coast Championship
(PCCs), Gulf Coast Championships (GCCs), Atlantic Coast Championships (ACCs), Great
Lakes Championships (Great Lakes), and No Coast Championships.

Major Championships: This category consists of Masters Midwinters East, the US
Championships, the Canadian Championships, and the North American Championships.
The North American Championships serve as the pinnacle championship of the ILCA-NA.
Adherence to these guidelines is a requirement for hosting an ILCA-NA Major Championship
Regatta, and any deviation must be with the prior written approval of the Executive Secretary
of the ILCA-NA. Organizers of all other ILCA-NA sanctioned events are strongly encouraged to
follow these guidelines as closely as possible.
We hope these guidelines will be of assistance in the consideration of hosting a Laser Masters
Championship in North America, and we welcome any questions, suggestions, or new ideas
that can help us improve the regatta experience for both competitors and host organizations
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Laser Class office.
Email:
Phone:
[email protected]
619-222-0252
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General Considerations
ELIGIBILITY & AGE DIVISIONS
Masters events are restricted to competitors age 35 and older. The competitor’s age on the
regatta start date determines the group the sailor competes in for the whole regatta. Age
divisions are as follows:
 35-44: Apprentice
 45-54: Master
 55-64: Grand Master
 65 and up: Great Grand Master
NOTICE OF RACE (NOR)
A standard NOR template is included in Appendix I. It contains the minimum information
necessary to announce the event. Regatta organizers are also encouraged to append site
specific information (e.g., post racing social events). The Notice of Race link must be published
on the ILCA-NA website. ILCA-NA will be pleased to publish the information as far in advance
as possible. This standard NOR template must be used for all Major Championship regattas.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS (SIs)
Appendix II contains the ILCA-NA standard Sailing Instructions. Changes or additions to these
Sailing Instructions, if absolutely required, should be published in a differing color or font to
highlight any language that alters these ILCA-NA Sailing Instructions.
The standard Sailing Instructions must be used for all Major Championship regattas. Any
modifications must be approved in writing by the ILCA-NA office.
EVENT DURATION & SCHEDULE
District level regattas and regional championships are typically two-day events. Major
championships are three-day events. Weather permitting, a regatta should consist of at least
five and as many as 10 races.
Most regattas are scheduled at the end of a week with the last day of racing and awards
occurring on Sunday. Especially for two day events, the final race cutoff time should be set at a
reasonable hour to insure good racing. ILCA-NA recommends that for championship regattas
this time be no earlier than 3:00 pm.
REGISTRATION
ILCA-NA recommends the use of the US Sailing Regatta Network online registration system
(regattanetwork.com) for regatta registration and scoring. This system is tightly integrated
with Laser class rules and processes, including membership verification and masters age
divisions and handicaps (ILCA-NA will reimburse the fee Regatta Network charges for
processing registrations. Reimbursement will only be issued if the final account report is
forwarded to the Laser Class Office and if the "membership required" link is activated during
the online registration process).
ILCA Class Rules require all competitors to be current members of the International Laser Class
Association in order to compete in an ILCA-NA sanctioned regatta. Membership must be
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verified at event registration (Regatta Network does this automatically) and non-members,
unless from a country outside of the ILCA-NA Region, will be required to fill out a membership
application and pay class dues before their entry is accepted (this can be done online).
For more information or assistance in setting up online registration and scoring, contact Sherri
Campbell at ILCA-NA ([email protected]) or Ken Taylor at Regatta Network
([email protected]).
ENTRY FEES
The entry fee should include everything the event organizers plan to provide at the regatta.
Extra costs for meals, t-shirts, etc., are poorly received. In general, competitors are happy to
pay an entry fee that they perceive gives them good value for their money.
Setting a guideline for the entry fee is difficult because of the disparate nature of hosting clubs,
food and amenities provided, number of boats expected, etc. Currently, typical entry fees fall
into the range of $35-65 per race day (2013).
Setting an early entry deadline (2-3 weeks prior to regatta start date) with 25% penalty for late
entries encourages competitors to register early and gives you an idea of the number of people
to expect.
SPONSORSHIP
Regatta organizers are encouraged to seek out sponsors to help offset regatta expenses. Sailingrelated companies, yacht club suppliers, local food vendors and other contacts are often willing
to provide gear, food, beverages, and other items of interest to regatta participants in exchange
for a good advertising opportunity. Sponsorship usually comes in the form of product, although
you should not overlook opportunities for cash donations when appropriate.
PRIZES
For Masters Championships, prizes are typically given to the overall winner (lowest score after
handicap points), first woman finisher, and top finishers in each of the four age divisions, with
the number of prizes adjusted to suit the number of competitors pre-registered in each division
(i.e., one award for 1-4 entries, 2 awards for 5-9 entries, 3 awards for 10 or more entries). If
Standard and Radial rigs are separated (see Guideline 2.8), prizes should be awarded in both
fleets per these guidelines.
For Major Championships, the traditional award is the ILCA glass cube engraved with place and
category for each prize winner. These are available from the Laser Class and must be ordered
at least two months in advance. For all other regattas, organizers are encouraged to use local
suppliers or follow local traditions for prizes.
Plan to hold the prize giving as soon as possible after the conclusion of racing. Prepare a “script”
for the prize giving. Timeliness, organization and proper attention to this part of the regatta can
result in a favorable last impression by the participants in the event.
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Race Management
CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA STANDARDS
Regatta Standards are established by the Laser Class in order to ensure a uniform high level of
competition at all the major Laser Masters Championship regattas. The number of days of
racing, number of races per day, and course lengths have all been optimized to ensure that
these regattas are true tests of skill by providing a balance between sailing and athletic ability.
The standards set the ideal for racing in perfect conditions. Unfortunately, as anybody who has
organized a regatta knows, they are often not. In the event that conditions make it impossible
to conduct races that conform to these standards, please remember that it is better for a
championship to be rescheduled than for the quality of the championship to be compromised.
Race committees are strongly cautioned against the temptation to run shorter courses or to
shorten existing courses in an attempt to complete the full complement of races for a
championship or complete enough races for a discard, as these actions would be inconsistent
with fair sailing and could prejudice the results.
A race committee can optimize its chances of completing a championship series in the
following ways:
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The start time for the first race of the day should be set to maximize the time spent
sailing in the expected local breeze (e.g., if the sea breeze typically fills at noon then
don’t set the first race to start at 10 am).
Start the first race each day on time as per the Sailing Instructions, and start succeeding
races with the minimum of delay.
Have separate start and finish boats for the various courses.
Allow flexibility with the timing of evening social events so that you can sail in a late
afternoon breeze if necessary.
Designate a mark set boat for each mark of the course to accomplish efficient course
adjustment as needed.
MEASUREMENT
Measurement is required for all ILCA-NA Major Championship regattas. Minimally,
measurement consists of:


Sail Measurement to ensure that all sails conform to ILCA class rules. This primarily
consists of checking for correct attachment and placement of sail numbers and the
presence of an ILCA royalty button. Inspection should result in all participants sailing
with numbers that are readable and without duplication.
Colored Mast Bands to distinguish age groups within each fleet. It is recommended
that bands be 8-11 inch plastic sheets wrapped around the mast between the gooseneck
and vang tang. Colors shall be green for Apprentices, red for Masters, blue for Grand
Masters, and yellow for Great Grand Masters.
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SKIPPERS MEETING
It is recommended that the skippers meeting be held at a stated time in the morning of the first
race day. It is not recommended that the meeting be incorporated into a dinner or evening
social event.
MINIMUM WIND SPEED
No race shall be started unless there is a minimum wind speed of 3 knots consistent
throughout the racing area.
NUMBER OF RACES
Weather permitting, a regatta should consist of at least five and upwards of 10 races. For a twoday regatta, the goal should be 5-8 races. For a three-day regatta, the goal should be 8-10 races.
OPTIMUM RACE LENGTH
For Major Championships the target time for a race should be approximately one hour, and not
less than 45 minutes. For all other Masters regattas, a target time of 30-45 minutes per race is
appropriate.
COURSES
The following course configurations are recommended by ILCA-NA for class sanctioned
regattas:

Windward-Leeward: Recommended, especially when the breeze is less than that
required for a Laser to plane on a reach. For large fleets, it is recommended that the
course include an offset mark off the weather mark and a gate for the leeward mark.
Downwind finishes are not recommended, especially in larger fleets, as it is difficult to
read the sail numbers as the boats cross the finish line.

Triangle: Recommended when the breeze is strong enough to allow a Laser to plane on
a reach. When a longer course is desirable, a good alternative is the Olympic course
(triangle-windward-leeward-windward)

Trapezoid: Recommended for multiple fleet regattas and when the race committee has
sufficient resources to manage the complex mark settings and separate finish line.
Course lengths should be adjusted in order to achieve the target time for a given race.
RIG-SWAPPING RULE
A unique feature of Masters’ regattas in North America is the option for competitors to swap
rigs, using the criteria below. The following three paragraphs shall be included in the NOR and
the SIs and shall be posted on the official regatta notice board:
Unless a minimum of 15 Standard and 15 Radial entries has been received by the pre-registration
deadline (to be determined by the Organizing Authority), all entrants shall start and finish
together and be scored as a single fleet. Competitors may choose Standard, Radial or 4.7 rigs at
their discretion, and change rigs throughout the regatta, provided that all rig changes are made
on shore and all sails have the same number (Rig-Swapping Rule turned on).
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Providing that a minimum of 15 Standard and 15 Radial entries has been received by the preregistration deadline, the Radial fleet shall be given a separate start and shall be scored
separately from the Standard Rig fleet (Rig-Swapping Rule turned off). Rig-Swapping between
Radials and 4.7s shall always be in effect.
This changes ILCA Class Rule 28(d) by permission of the International Laser Class Association of
North America.
STARTING GUIDELINES
Starts for ILCA-NA sanctioned regattas should be strictly in accordance with RRS Rules 26 & 27.
In order to avoid the inevitable problem of aggressive fleets pushing the line early and
resulting in multiple general recalls, the following strategies are recommended:
 Make every effort to call individual boats OCS. This requires multiple eyes on both the
RC boat and pin ends of the line. The pin boat should communicate numbers to the RC
boat via radio, and all numbers should be recorded by voice recorder.
 Make sure the starting line is square. If a majority of boats is piling up on one side of the
line, adjust the line accordingly to spread them out.
 Use a progression of starting line penalties, beginning with the I or Z flag followed
directly by the Black flag. Race management should be fully prepared to execute I, Z, and
Black flag starts to restrain an aggressive fleet.
FINISHING GUIDELINES
Current Laser Class sail numbers consist of six digits. Some Race Committees prefer to use only
the last four digits of the sail number, and the Laser Class facilitates this by requiring that the
last four digits on the sail are a different color. It is unlikely that there will be a duplication of
the last four digits. If there is duplication, a simple black line under one of the sail numbers will
inform the finish line crew that the full number is required for that boat.
At Laser Class Championship regattas, separate two or three digit numbers provided by the
regatta organizers are not to be used. This system is extremely unpopular with the sailors as
permanent numbers may damage the sail when being removed, and "removable" numbers
often remove themselves during races.
JURY & ON-THE-WATER (OTW) JUDGING
For Major Championship regattas, ILCA-NA strongly recommends the use of ISAF-certified onthe-water judges to enforce RRS Rule 42, with RRS Appendix P in effect. This of course is in
addition to having a qualified jury for processing regular protests.
SCORING & RESULTS
ILCA-NA scoring uses the low point system as described in RRS Appendix A, Section A4. The
Sailing Instructions shall specify that boats may exclude their worst score after 5 races have
been completed.
Scores should be tabulated with the online scoring program provided by US Sailing Regatta
Network (regattanetwork.com). This program is well integrated with Laser class rules
(including masters divisions and handicaps) and provides for immediate publishing to the Web.
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For Masters regattas, results are calculated for both the overall fleet and for each of the four
age divisions. To calculate overall results, an age-based handicap system is applied. Points are
added to each finish according to the competitor’s age bracket, as follows:
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Apprentice: add 3 points
Master: add 2 points
Grand Master: add 1 point
Great Grand Master: add 0 points
Results are recalculated after adding in handicap points, and the person with the lowest score
wins. To determine results for each age division, competitors are simply broken out of the
overall results by division. Do not recalculate divisional results by re-scoring individual finishes
within age divisions!
When two or more competitors are tied on points, the tie shall be broken as follows:
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
Within an age division, a tie should be broken as described in RRS Appendix A, Section
A8.
Across the age divisions, a tie should be broken in favor of the sailor from the older
division.
Results must show for each competitor: position, sail number, first name, last name, Masters
division, club affiliation, results of individual races, total handicap points, and total score.
Preliminary results should be displayed as soon as possible after racing.
REGATTA REPORTS
The value of posting daily regatta results and reports, followed by an overall regatta summary
report, cannot be underestimated (especially to event sponsors!). A few paragraphs generally
describing the event and giving an idea of who the top sailors are in each fleet is more than
sufficient. The ILCA-NA office will post these reports on the class website and help distribute
them to the appropriate outlets.
Food & Social
The goal is to put on a regatta with good sailing, good entertainment and good value for money
for the competitors.
MEALS
At two and three day championships, a meal should be provided Saturday evening. This can be
a sit-down dinner or an informal buffet or barbeque; the important thing is to have plenty of
good food for hungry sailors.
OTHER FOOD/SNACKS
It’s customary to provide breakfast or snacks before racing each day. Juice, cereal, milk, fruits,
and pastries provide excellent fuel for the day’s competition. Snacks or appetizers (hot dogs,
nachos and salsa, etc.) at the awards ceremony help keep people around.
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ON THE WATER
It is important to have a large supply of drinking water for the sailors available in all official
boats. The effects of dehydration, especially at warmer locations, can pose a significant safety
issue. Food may also be provided but should be appropriate to the needs and limitations of
Laser sailing (e.g., energy bars). Food and water should be easily accessible to the sailors
throughout the day from support boat(s) located near the finish line (taking care, of course, not
to interfere with boats finishing).
GIVEAWAYS
A T-shirt or other keepsake should be provided for each registered competitor. You’ll need a
variety of shirt sizes to accommodate Radial and Laser sailors. To avoid a big hole in your
budget, be sure to estimate regatta attendance conservatively (remember you can always mail
out a few extras afterward, and give us a call if you need advice).
Remember that sailors love free gear. Raffles of donated items are extremely popular with the
competitors and a good way to keep them around for post racing activities.
Safety Considerations
If you have a large fleet of Lasers sailing on a rough day, use the following system:
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Anchor a security buoy with floating line to attach boats to leeward of start line.
In life threatening situations, take sailors aboard the rescue craft and to shore if
necessary. Boats drifting to the leeward end of the course will be attached to the
security buoy.
Sailors requiring assistance in non-life threatening situations should drift down to the
leeward end of the course where they will be towed or can make their own way to the
security buoy.
Rescue boats can tow all disabled boats ashore at a convenient time for the RC. If you
allow your rescue boats to individually tow sailors and boats ashore during a race, you
will lose them for at least a half hour and possibly longer, leaving you with no security
on the course. Remember the priority is to save lives, not boats.
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